Along For The Ride
by hutchshottie
Summary: One morning at a new crime scene, the team are confronted with a problem thats more then the dead body…Someone has taken off with the van…with Tony inside. Can the team find him before its too late and what does this have to do with a small baby?
1. Chapter 1

**Along for the Ride**

 **One morning at a new crime scene, the team are confronted with a problem thats more then the dead body…Someone has taken off with the van…with Tony inside. Can the team find him before its too late and what does this have to do with a small baby?**

 _The team stood and watched as the Navy and White van disappeared down the centre drive of the graveyard and through the police cordon at the end. The speed of the van made Gibbs intensify his look. That was not a speed of a normal Sunday driver….that was the speed of someone in a hurry._

 _But who…..and where was Tony?_

 ** _Chapter 1...coming soon_**


	2. 2 Bodies, 1 Grave

Jan 15th 2011

He stood facing the glass window, his reflection more pronounced then he had expected. It almost scared him, looking at his ragged appearance in an abnormally clear piece of glass. A few days worth of stubble was invading his chin, his hair all over the place. His eyes were heavy, almost willing themselves to close against his actions to stop them. But his focus was targeted. He had a new goal now, a new mission, a new path in his mixed life. So much had happened in his past, the bad out weighed the good and there was a point in his life where he never thought he would be able to come back. He had been pulled down so much, that coming back up level was an almost impossible task.

But there, in front of him, snuggled silently in between her soft hand-knitted grandmother crafted blankets…..was his daughter. His life, his future. All he had was for her, and all he needed to do was in aid of her. Nothing else mattered anymore. He had promised to change his life when Rebecca had told him she was pregnant with their first child. Their little girl. Now only a few hours after she was born, he was stood staring at her beautiful face, her squishing little nose. He vowed to change his life for his little princess.

"Which one is yours?" A voice came beside him. He turned and glanced at the excitable man beside him, both his hands full with digital cameras ready to record his childs first movements.

"That little girl there." He pointed to the small bundle, the baby yawned behind the viewing glass.

"Adorable. That's my two there. Kyle and Kaden." The new father pointed to twin baby boys huddled together. "Whats your little tykes name?"

"Annabella." He replied. Annabella name after his grandmother. And his daughter sure had the same beautiful eyes as her name sake.

He knew his life needed to change. For her. She deserves a father who will be there for her. And he was not going to let his precious princess down.

Feb 13th

Sat at his desk, Special Agent Tony Dinozzo was glaring at the computer screen. He was concentrating hard, something Ziva and McGee didn't think he could do. He had barely noticed they were stood over him, watching him.

"It looks human, smells human…yet its like he is a statue." Ziva said.

"Maybe he turned to stone over night. He was still here when we left." McGee said.

"Tony?" Ziva tried to get his attention. Tony did not budge. "Its like he is Deer to the world."

"Dead." Tony corrected her. He looked up at the pair in front of him.

"So you are a real boy." McGee smiled.

"What has got you so interested?" Ziva asked. She rounded the desk and looked at Tony's screen. "She is pretty…..who is she?"

"Oh I see." McGee said taking a peek himself at the picture on the screen.

"What do you see McAnnoying?" Tony asked.

"That's her…..Valentines girl." McGee smiled.

"Who?" Ziva was intrigued.

"A few years ago Tony met this woman on valentines day, the date went well, the morning breakfast even better. He promised he would call her and then lost her details. She never had his contact details. Each year he contemplates what could have been and insists he will track her down." McGee explained.

"And she did not think to return to Tonys home to see him?" Ziva wondered.

"That's why Tony wishes to track her down, in case she 'forgot' where he lived." McGee smirked.

"So I take it she has yet to be tracked?" Ziva queried.

"Not yet….but I will. No one gets away from DiNozzo."

"What about that suspect last week when you tripped and…."McGee started.

"Okay McNosey." Tony stopped him.

"And I recall a day a few weeks back as well." Gibbs said as he walked through the office.

"That was not my fault boss." Tony defended himself.

"Grab your bags we got a case. Dead body in a graveyard." Gibbs said.

"Ah boss, isn't that a common thing. I mean…..graveyard is known for its dead bodies." Tony pointed out, a smirk on his youthful face.

"Well this one was left without a coffin, half his clothes missing and oh, resting against a grave stone." Gibbs described. Each member of the team scrambled to their desks and grabbed their go bags. All ready with what they needed for the crime scene. The team followed behind Gibbs and into the elevator.

The graveyard was unnaturally alive as Gibbs drove the van down the main road. Cars and vans were parked, rather unkempt, along the side of the road. A digger was parked in amongst a row of headstones. A sign that another sombre grave was being prepared. In the distance the police tape cornered off the access to the crime scene and beyond it, a route to a church inside the grounds. An array of police officers and officials were stood in amongst the graves. Gibbs parked the van in a tight spot along the main road. The team disembarked and headed through the graves. A section of the graveyard had been tapped off. As the team approached, the scene was becoming clear to them. The body of a man was propped up against a gravestone, as if he had come to rest after a night of girls and drink. To look at him from afar, it would seem he had been drinking and was sleeping off the effects. But it was clear as the team stood in front of him, that he was no more in this world. Ducky and Palmer were leaning over the body, starting their checks of the deceased.

"Ziva, find out who called this in and see what they have to say. McGee, comb the area. We need to find something. Tony, pictures." The team nodded and immediately set to work. "And DiNozzo, make sure you get the footprints around the side of that grave." Gibbs pointed to the grave behind the body. "Ducky, what can you tell me?"

"Well I will need a through examine to determine the cause of death. There is no obvious injuries, bullet holes or similar. Body temp indicates he has been dead for 8 hours at least." Ducky said.

"Makes it around 2am." Gibbs summarised. Ducky held out the mans fingers for McGee to place on his remote scanner. Gibbs was not a lover of technology, but even he admitted the scanner was a vital piece of equipment. It gave the team the name of any deceased in seconds…..and that meant they could get on with their investigations a lot quicker.

"Looks like we have a name, Lieutenant Adam Higgins. Currently on compassionate leave from Norfolk." McGee explained.

"Any chance this grave he is resting on is a relation to him?" Gibbs wondered. McGee noted the name and tapped away at his tablet.

"Not that I can see immediately boss. I will do a complete search back at the office."

"This reminds me of a case many a year ago. A young lady was found laying peaceful atop a grave. Rather tragic. The grave was of her husband of 1 day, killed as they travelled to their honeymoon. She could not live without him and killed herself on top of his grave." Ducky recounted, one of his many tales he regaled the team with on a daily basis.

"Any chance this is the same Duck?" Gibbs asked.

"Hard to tell. As soon as we have him back home I can hopefully give you those answers." Ducky replied. In the distance, Tony was busy taking images of the footprints. He noticed a rusty screw laying almost inside one of the prints. He took an photographer and then called Gibbs over.

"What are the odds this is just a random screw in an almost perfectly grassed graveyard?" Tony asked him.

"Bag it." Gibbs said. Tony picked it up and placed it in a bag. He carried on taking images around the headstones. The camera buzzed, indicating something was wrong. He checked the screen. The memory full icon was flashing.

"Problem DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked.

"Memory is full. Forgot to download it after the last case." Tony said.

"Sort it." Gibbs said.

"Got a spare one in the van. Wont be long." Tony said. Tony wandered off to the van leaving Gibbs shaking his head. Sometimes DiNozzo made him crazy, today was such a day. Gibbs re joined McGee and the two began to collect more evidence from around the body. A few seconds had passed and Gibbs heard the van engine start. He looked up and saw the van pull out of the parking space. Gibbs looked over to where the van had been parked. Tony was not in sight. He looked around and still could not see Tony. He must be in the van.

"DiNozzo, what are you doing?" he called out. The van increased in speed, tapping the corner of a badly parked police car. Ziva, McGee and Gibbs looked up. The van was heading away from them. The team stood and watched as the Navy and White van disappeared down the centre drive of the graveyard and through the police cordon at the end. The speed of the van made Gibbs intensify his look. That was not a speed of a normal Sunday driver….that was the speed of someone in a hurry. But who…..and where was Tony?


	3. Not all as it seems

Apologise for the super super long delay on this. Life got in the way!

Gibbs pulled his cellphone from his pocket and instantly dialled DiNozzos number. The phone echoed with a constant ring.

"What is Tony doing?" Ziva asked. The team kept their gaze on the van as it disappeared out of the far gate.

"Where is he going?" McGee asked. Gibbs once more tried to dial Tony's phone with no joy.

"I don't think that's Tony driving." Gibbs admitted. He looked to an officer beside him. "We need your patrol car." He said. The police officer pointed to his cruiser and Gibbs called Ziva and McGee to join him. The three jumped in the car and Gibbs sped away and in the direction the van had been speeding.

"What is going on?" Ziva asked.

"I don't think Tony is driving." Gibbs said.

"Then where is he?" McGee asked.

"I don't know. Track his cellphone." Gibbs ordered. McGee pulled out his tablet and started to tap away on it.

"If Tony is not driving, then who is?" Ziva was confused and was getting more concerned for Tony. Gibbs did not reply. He was watching the road ahead. He could just see the navy and white van ahead in the distance, but if he was not careful he was going to lose it in the morning traffic.

"Call Abby, I need cameras tracking this van now." He said.

"We have GPS on the van. Bringing it up now." McGee said.

"What about Tony's phone?" Gibbs asked him.

"All it indicates is that it is in front of us." McGee said.

"So he is in the van?" Ziva asked.

"Yes, but I don't think it is of his own free will." Gibbs replied. Ziva watched as Gibbs weaved through the traffic, the patrol cars siren doing its job. But the van was still almost a dot in the distance and Gibbs was feeling like he was losing it. "McGee?"

"Its turning onto 5th."McGee said. Gibbs pushed his foot further down on the accelerator and moved swiftly through the cars ahead of him. McGee looked at the screen following the gps blip that indicated where the van was.

"Abby has the van on cameras too. But there is not guarantee she can keep it." Ziva was on her cellphone. She pressed a button and Abby's voice came over the loud speaker.

"What is going on Gibbs? Where is Tony?

"That's what we need you for Abby. Guide me to that van."

"I have it on 5th. Its driving mad." Abby said.

"Can you see the driver Abs?" Gibbs asked her. The phone was silent for a second, to Gibbs it felt like minutes. "Abs?"

"Its Tony and he is not alone."Abby said, her tone of voice was clear to everyone in the car. She was worried and scared.

"Can you get a clear image of the person with him?" Gibbs asked her.

"I think so."

"Good, run it and let me know if a name pops." Gibbs asked her. Abby agreed and finished the phone call.

"Bring him home Gibbs." She said. The phone went silent.

"McGee, I am losing it." Gibbs said.

"GPS says it has turned from 5th to East Street….Its…..woah." McGee said.

"What?" Ziva beat Gibbs to the question.

"It stopped." He said.

"What….it crashed?" Gibbs asked.

"I don't know. It could be, or it might have malfunctioned." McGee looked at Gibbs and then the road ahead. Gibbs spoke what they all feared.  
"We have lost him."

NCISNCISNCIS

The moment Tony had got to the van, he felt uneasy. But he thought it was just the glare of Gibbs eyes into the back of his head. Tony always ensured his memory card was clear, always. So why did he forget this time. He could have kicked himself, and now Gibbs was staring at him with a disapproving look. The glare was almost burning though the back of his head and into his own eye sockets. He opened the side door of the van and stepped in. He reached for the drawer he knew had the spare cards in, but something caught his eye. A red stain was on the floor beside him. He looked down to it and then to the cause of it. A man laid in the middle of the walkway of the back of the van. He was bleeding from the side.

"What…..who are you?" Tony asked him.

"He is with me." A voice came from behind him. He felt the unmistakable feel of a gun barrel pressed against his skull. Tony slowly moved his hand. He hoped the slow movement would not been seen and he could have half a chance to reach for his weapon. His hand hovered over his holster. "Don't even try it hero." The gunman said. Tony felt his gun being removed from his holster.

"Who are you?" Tony asked calmly.

"None of your damn business."

"Well I think it is. You are currently in a federal vehicle."

"And like that is going to bother me."

"Well, back behind me is an array of federal officers, police offers and officials. And I think it will be their business to know who is hiding in their vehicle." Tony said.

"Nyle…we need….." The injured man struggled to say.

"Looks like he needs help." Tony said.

"What do you think I am trying to do? You have the keys?" The man with the voice pressed the gun slightly harder into Tony's skull. Tony did not answer, so the pressure was increased and Tony felt like his head was about to break from the angle his head was being pushed in.

"Ok….yes I have the keys." Tony said.

"Then drive." Nyle said. Tony looked up to the man who was stood in the small door that led from the cab at the front to the rear. "Drive or I will shoot you now." Tony glanced back to the man on the floor and then up to Nyle. He knew he had no choice. He moved into the drivers seat and put the van in to drive. Nyle sat beside him, the gun trailed in Tony.

"Time to go." Nyle said. Tony pulled the van out of its parking spot and drove away. "Faster!" Tony looked at him and put his foot down harder. The van sped down the internal road of the graveyard and towards the gates at the end. Tony glanced into the mirrors on the side of the van. In the distance behind him, Gibbs, McGee and Ziva looked on in shock. The van pulled into the traffic.

"Where?" Tony asked him.

"Just keep driving." Tony glanced back onto the rear of the van. "He is bleeding heavy, he needs help and soon."

"That's why I am here. I need you to help him"

"Me…..I cant." Tony was shocked.

"You can, you have the supplies. You are a paramedic?" Nyle asked him.

"What…..no…no, I am not." Tony knew this revelation was not being met with kindly.

"The van…you are right?" Nyle was confused. He looked at the van and then back to Tony, bringing the gun up higher.

"No, this is an NCIS van. Its not an ambulance. I am not a paramedic." Tony said. Nyle pressed the gun against Tony's neck. "I am not lying. Look around. No gurney, no medicine, just boxes of supplies." Nyle looked back to his friend on the floor of the rear unit. Tony took a chance to look into the mirrors once more. He was sure he saw a patrol car weaving through the traffic behind him, Gibbs was not letting him down.

"Then you have just made this whole situation worse for me…and you."


	4. No Hope

**Apologise its been a few months since I posted. Been concentrating on losing weight (2 stone gone bonus!) and I wanted to finish the 2nd in my Hawaii Five 0 "Bad" series.**

 **So here is a soft re-introduction to this story**

"McGee, tell me you have it back?" Gibbs was still driving but he could no longer see the van. Each road they passed, they all turned to look to see if it have moved down that one. It was no good, they had lost it.

"No, I think it malfunctioned. The transponder is under the hatch in the back, no way they could have disconnected it while the van was in motioned. I think it stopped working."

"Get Abby back on the phone, we need the cameras to tell us where it went." Gibbs instructed. Ziva dialled the lab, Abbys excited voice boomed over the speaker.

"Do you have him?" She asked.

"No, Abby we lost the van. We need you to tell us where it went." Gibbs said.

"I cant see it." Abby was taping away at her keyboard. "We don't have cameras on every street, if it turned down a quiet road we wont know."

"Keep looking Abby, we need that location."

"What about the person in the van with Tony? Did you get a hit?" Ziva asked.

"No, I searched every record we have. He is not in the system. I checked the cameras at the entrance of the graveyard, about 10 minutes before you arrived the cameras show 2 men walking through. I could not find them on other cameras so they are either still in the cemetery or got into the van away from the camera view." Abby explained.

"Why would they hide in our van?" Ziva said.

"You can ask them when we find them." Gibbs said. "Abby, anything?" He was getting anxious, the van was nowhere in sight and that meant they had lost Tony. Gibbs hated it and the feeling it gave him.

"Tonys phone is still on, its showing he is around Jasper Park." McGee spoke up. The car lurched as Gibbs guided it down a smaller road.

"Why would these 2 men walk through a crime scene, crawling with officers and take Tony." Ziva wondered. "It doesn't make sense"

"They might not have planned it. Tony just got in their way." McGee said.

"As soon as we catch up with them, I will gladly get in their way." Ziva replied, McGee sensed the anger in her voice. Though she would hate to admit it, and she was constantly arguing with Tony, McGee knew Ziva had feelings for him.

"McGee…phone." Gibbs pointed out.

"Its not moved, still says near the park."

"Buckle up.!" Gibbs said, he stepped on the gas and the car sped away.

NCISNCISNCIS

Tony watched the vans mirror, he had lost sight of the patrol car minutes ago and was desperately hoping it would magically appear behind him. All he could see was normal cars, vans and bikes. He tried not to glance to the man sat in the seat beside him, the gun pointed inches from his ribcage. He hoped he didn't go over any sped bumps, the gun was likely to go off with the shear movement.

"Would you mind telling me where we are going?" Tony asked of the man.

"No, just drive." The man said, he had one eye on his phone in his hands, reading a message. He glanced back at his stricken friend.

"He needs help, you know that." Tony said.

"And you are not in any position to tell me what is needed. Just drive."

"It's a gunshot wound, right?" Ton asked.

"Keep your nose out." He barked back.

"If you don't want him dying in the back of this van, you need to get him some help." Tony tried to reason with the man.

"And I am working on it, so shut up and concentrate on the road." The man replied.

"Nyle" The man in the back said weakly. The man turned and looked at him.

"What is it buddy?" He asked him leaning in closer to him.

"Have you heard from him at all?" he asked.

"Yeah, he has messaged me. We are going to meet up soon. Then we can get you some help."

"I need it soon." He replied.

"I know Jacob man. We will get you sorted and patched up man. This is all my fault and I will sort it, I promise." Nyle looked back to Tony. They were driving past the park, Nyle was looking around him as they drove past. He saw a patrol man walking through the edge of the park. He pressed his gun into Tony's side, fearing he may try and alert the man. As they passed by the park the man looked at Tony.

"Cellphone?" He asked him.

"What?" Tony tried to delay what he knew was coming up. Tony knew Abby was using his phone to track him and he needed to keep hold of it.

"You heard me…cellphone. Where is it?" He asked. The gun dug further into his side, he could almost feel the internal workings of the weapon.

"Side pocket." He caved. Nyle reached in and pulled it out. The screen showed a series of missed calls and a handful of unread messages.

"Looks like someone is trying to get hold of you. Who is Gibbs?"

"My boss."

"Well he will be disappointed." In a shift move he threw the phone from the window. It landed on a soft patch of grass outside the park as they drove past. Tony watched as his one hope of being tracked went flying across the grass.


End file.
